Mansi
Bodke
Lead Product Manager at ADP
"The Cost of Irrelevance: Why What AI Doesn't Say Matters as Much as What It Does"
"The Cost of Irrelevance: Why What AI Doesn't Say Matters as Much as What It Does"
Wed May 13 - 12:50 PM EDT/New York (See in local time)
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05/13/2026 12:50 PM
05/13/2026 01:10 PM
America/New_York
#WTGC2026
"The Cost of Irrelevance: Why What AI Doesn't Say Matters as Much as What It Does"
#WTGC2026
"The Cost of Irrelevance: Why What AI Doesn't Say Matters as Much as What It Does"
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https://www.womentech.net/ringcentral
"The Cost of Irrelevance: Why What AI Doesn't Say Matters as Much as What It Does"
"The Cost of Irrelevance: Why What AI Doesn't Say Matters as Much as What It Does"
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Session: The Cost of Irrelevance: Why What AI Doesn't Say Matters as Much as What It Does
We've spent years asking whether AI is capable enough. I want to ask a different question: what happens when AI is too willing?In enterprise conversational AI, there's a hidden cost that rarely makes it into product reviews or boardroom decks. I call it the Cost of Irrelevance. It's the compounding operational, trust, and behavioral damage that occurs when AI systems respond to queries outside their intended scope. A customer service agent that offers legal advice. An HR assistant that speculates on performance decisions. A learning tool that answers questions it has no business answering. Each interaction feels helpful in the moment. Collectively, they erode the credibility of the entire system.
In this talk, I'll introduce the Cost of Irrelevance framework, drawn from my research and my work leading the AI agent behind ADP Assist, a conversational AI product serving millions across the U.S. workforce. I'll walk through why guardrails are not a limitation on AI. They are the design. And I'll give attendees a practical mental model for evaluating any AI product they build, buy, or advocate for: not just "can it do this?" but "should it?"
This talk is for product leaders, engineers, and advocates who want AI that earns long-term trust, not just short-term engagement.
Key Takeaways
- 1. What the Cost of Irrelevance is and how to spot it in products they use or build
- Why scope discipline in AI is a feature, not a constraint
- A practical framework for evaluating AI systems beyond capability benchmarks
Bio
I'm a Lead Product Manager specializing in conversational AI, currently leading the AI agent behind ADP Assist, a product used by millions of workers across the U.S. workforce. My work sits at the intersection of AI system design, human behavior, and real-world deployment at scale.I recently submitted research for preprint (March 2026). introducing the Cost of Irrelevance framework, which looks at the hidden operational and trust costs of AI systems that operate beyond their intended scope. I also build learning tools on the side, including an ADHD-friendly notes app and a System Design learning platform, because I believe the most important question in AI right now is not what it can do, but what it should do for people.
I write about AI for a general audience on Substack called "Vibecoder's Guide to Ai Galaxy"(https://aini41.substack.com)
